NFL may consider negating touchdowns for taunting penalties

Posted by Michael David Smith on October 30, 2013, 3:05 PM EDT

Getty Images

When Seahawks receiver Golden Tate began waving at Rams safety Rodney McLeod at the 25-yard line on Tate’s way to an 80-yard touchdown, the official threw the flag before Tate had even crossed the goal line. But even though Tate committed a penalty before he scored, the touchdown still counted.

Next season, a player who does the same thing may negate his own touchdown.

NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino said on NFL Network that he thinks the Competition Committee will explore changing the NFL’s taunting rules to make them more similar to the taunting rules in the NCAA. In college football, if a player commits a taunting penalty on a touchdown, the touchdown is called back and the 15-yard penalty is enforced from the spot where the taunting began.

“A lot of people felt that the touchdown shouldn’t have counted [but] a taunting foul is always treated as a dead-ball foul, meaning whatever happened during the play counts, and the foul is enforced on the next play, which would be the kickoff,” Blandino said. “In college, this action would take back the touchdown. Tate started taunting at the 25-yard line. The college rule, that’s enforced at the spot of the foul, so they’d go from a touchdown to first-and-10 at the 40, which would be a gigantic penalty. The NFL rule, it’s a dead-ball foul, it’s enforced on the kickoff. But I’m sure that’s something that the Competition Committee will look at in the offseason.”

Taking away a touchdown for taunting seems awfully harsh. Then again, there’s a simple way to avoid that happening: Don’t taunt.

Player would wait to taunt until in the endzone and then enforced on the kickoff.

kriswd40 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:08 PM

I hope the owners see this as a bad rule. Stuff like holding is one thing because it affects the outcome of the play… taunting doesn’t cause or prevent a TD, it’s just bad sportsmanship. Keep the rule the way it is.

could have reversed TDs on 2 straight games vs Rams and Jenkins. Steve Smith started pointing at him before getting in the end zone too. NFL should probably wire Janoris for Sound FX soon so we hear what is getting WRs so upset with him

Heaven forbid anyone have any fun playing this game… It might not be the classiest thing, but it is fun to watch and it takes a well run play for taunting to even be possible. They really know how to suck the life out of this game.

I think this would be great. It is already a rule in college and these guys are supposed to set the example as “professionals”. Let’s be honest, 99% (if not 100%) of the mimicking as early as junior high, high school and colleges comes from watching the guys on Sunday that are supposed to set the example. Sounds like an appropriate rule change to me.

No. And I for one, loved what Golden did. They’ve already made watching the game pulling teeth with these game-changing ridiculous “defenseless receiver” penalties that occur on 3rd and 17 and cost the defending team the game.

Sad that it has come to this point. I like that guys celebrate a great play but not taunting another player from the opposing team. Just shows that lack of respect that some(really most) nfl players have for the game and for themselves… If penalizing the team for taunting by taking away a touchdown is the only deterant for it to stop then so be it…

Welcome to the No Fun League…. This is really getting sick. It’s been passed ridiculous, now its just getting plain sickening. Soon it will be unwatchable, and Goodell will be the main cause because of all the other changes him an his billionaire henchmen have implemented.

dwarftosser says:Oct 30, 2013 3:14 PM

If you don’t want to get taunted, then don’t get burned for an 83 yard TD pass.

Stupid idea…keep it the way it is. Holding calls, interference calls…those are ‘live ball fouls’ (?) because but for the hold, the outcome of the play would have been different. Golden Tate is getting into that end zone regardless of whether he waves at the schmuck that blew the coverage.

What Tate did was classless and dumb. He was so busy taunting he almost ran out of bounds. That would have been classic. But it seems coaches don’t do enough to admonish players for that kind of behavior. Sad that sportsmanship has to be legislated by rule.

Why not just levy fines for taunting? $15K for taunting first offense in a season and escalate from there.

ocdn says:Oct 30, 2013 3:17 PM

I think it’s a great idea. Act like a professional. Do your job the way you were trained. If this rule is in effect, you’ll think twice before you put your teams points in jeopardy just to get a little “me time on TV”.

Good. Weed out the ungrateful show boating pieces of s that overinhabit the NFL and its fanbase. Bring it back to simpler times. Getting rid of that class of people in this league will also reduce dirty hits. Those filthy animals are one in the same as those who taunt.

jackm79 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:20 PM

Taking the TD away is a bad idea. They could eliminate taunting immediately by making taunting an automatic ejection from the game.

bearwithjetpack says:Oct 30, 2013 3:20 PM

If a penalty happens before the end of the play, it should be enforced as such. Taunting during the play should not be a dead ball foul, taunting after the play should. No different than unnecessary roughness, etc.

Don’t like it? Wait till you score before you start taunting.

calicokiller49 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:20 PM

you guys are missing the point. part of the NFL’s selling point is these guys are supposed to be role models. and obviously they don’t want to encourage poor sportsmanship.

chawk12thman says:Oct 30, 2013 3:21 PM

Taunting should remain a dead ball enforced penalty. If needing a change, I would think perhaps a 25 yard penalty would be in order. Also; if it occurs 25 yards or less from the offending player, it is enforced the total yards up and to the goal line (1 yd) without being “half the distance” to the goal line.

In the Tate case the 25 yard penalty would have made the kick-off much more risky and one that would have been more in line with what so many want.

Well done NFL. You aren’t the innovator but the follower. Take a page out of the NCAA’s rulebook, genius!

As much as I dislike 60 yards of high stepping on the way to a touchdown it is part of what makes the NFL….you know….the NFL. This league has many different characters and if you try to stymie that you’ll be alienating fans across the country.

Give it a rest Goddell, you have sadly already put your stamp on your tenure.

There’s no need or room for taunting in a professional sport. It’s immature and degrades the sport.
That being said, the college rule IS awfully harsh and really could turn a game around.

Since Taunting doesn’t really affect the outcome of a play or game (other than inciting possible violence) there shouldn’t be a penalty that affects the scoring or the placement of the ball on the field. Makes no sense. No competitive advantage is gained by the action (as there is in pass interference.)

A BETTER rule would be to automatically disqualify the player who taunted from the game. Doesn’t take away the points, but punishes the player (and his team) who committed it.

why not just make it a REAL 15 yard penalty—kickoff from the normal distance and add 15 yards to the play—so if its a touchback add 15 yards to the 20, I would love to have the ball at the 35 because someone taunted instead of just going into the endzone.

Love the taunting(as long as its not too personal), love the smack talk, love drama leading into the game, Its makes it fun for the fans. Whatever makes the fans happy.
Don’t take stuff like that away from the game. If the NFLs going to stop the taunting, don’t use the sound bytes and the push n shove clips to promote the game. Quite being hypocritical.

Anyone who feels this is good for the game, is a fool. I thing the people who make the NFL such a lucrative sport needs to stand up and stop the maddness. All the rule chamges to help the offenses, help the QB and this boguss crusade for players safety need to be addressed by us the FANS! If we come together and tell roger, “NO MORE!” This crap would change. If we stop spending our hard earnedmoney on a watered down product, he would have to listen to the people. Our game is becoming a laughable jole. Every player know the risk, and they choose to take that risk. Bring back the purity of the game.

I have to admit though… I just LOVED seeing George Teague lay out TO after his taunting on the Dallas Star. That was hysterical… 😉

humptyfratz says:Oct 30, 2013 3:28 PM

I dunno. I think I agree with them. Let me ask you this: how much difference is there between taunting and bullying? Is everyone here in favor of taunting also a fan of bullying? And knowing that children emulate their sports heroes (and if you think they don’t, you were never a kid anywhere near a playground) , why don’t you think kids will taunt others when they see Disney Sports show the replay 20x every hour?

“But players have taunted each other all through NFL history.” I say bull. The good teams never had to taunt. All they had to do was be better than their opponent. Proof:

“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi

I don’t know why everyone has a problem with this?? I think it’s a great idea, this is a professional sport played by so called “professionals.” There’s no room for immature actions in this game that i love….if everyone has a problem with it, well then their players on their team probably have a problem with doing this, and are afraid of the consequences! Simple solution to a very dumb problem!!

In order to be fair, they should negate sacks after those celebration dances and posturing.

nflofficeadmin says:Oct 30, 2013 3:30 PM

If you divided the league into two separate leagues, one where celebrating and head shots were allowed and one where celebrating and head shots were banned.. the league with the celebrating/taunting and head shots would put the other league out of business. This game is entertainment first. Anything said to the contrary is a lie.

While I hate the NFL crackdown on celebrations, emotion, etc. There is one reason for this, player safety.

When Tate starts taunting at the 20 and gets the flag, it’s basically a “get out of jail” card to horsecollar tackle, late hit, or give him some kind of cheap shot.

smarterfootball says:Oct 30, 2013 3:30 PM

Completely agree with this rule. The league is emulated by so many kids these days. If my son were to do this as he ran into the endzone he’d certainly get an earful from me after the game. The NFL needs to set a good example.

It’s sports. People who are bothered by “taunting” usually don’t belong on the field anyway, nancy boys.

runmarshawnrun says:Oct 30, 2013 3:30 PM

Seattle fans will remember Jake Locker scoring a TD late in a game against BYU, then tossing the ball over his shoulder in the end zone. He wasn’t taunting, wasn’t looking at anyone in particular, and did nothing excessive. Ref threw a flag, TD negated, UW lost the game.

Imagine that happening in the NFL.

Who cares if one millionaire did something to show up another millionaire? As a Hawks fan, I thought it was classless. As a football fan, I say bring it on. And remember, we’re the team that TO pulled a sharpie out of his sock against.

This is a stupid idea, it isn’t college and taking points off the board isn’t popular with fans. Assess the penalty on the kickoff and increase fines if you really want it stopped. If you want to make the players more sportsmanlike you’ve got to punish them where it really hurts them. I’m all for Tate losing a chunk of his game check over what he did, and guess what, it probably won’t happen again.

I think a reasonable good deterrent would be to void the extra point attempt costing them at least 1 point. Of course they often don’t do this unless winning by a large margin already so that might not work at all. Maybe on the kickoff the opponent gets the ball at the 40 like kicking it off out of bounds.

I’m not saying they should do anything at all, just coming up with an alternative other than an entire TD worth of points.

aldog83 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:36 PM

NFL already turning to flag football/Arena League with the fines for hits!

If they ram this down our throats I hope it back fires and sstarts the ball rolling to fire Goodell.

Goodell acts like he is the reason the NFL is profitable.

The game that we grew up watching is why we watch today.

At this rate we will be better off watching Old NFL Films from thr 80’s 90’s and 2000’s over the crap that eill beconr the NFL in the future.

I see a difference between celebrating and taunting. Although I personally don’t like him, Ochocinco’s celebrations were hilarious. I have no issue with that. I view taunting completely different than those kinds of celebrations.

What next? suspension for swearing? this league has turned into a joke since Roger Good-hell has been commissioner.

Casey Jacobson says:Oct 30, 2013 3:38 PM

The simple solution is don’t taunt….except that you’re putting the power in the officials hands to take away a touchdown. I can easily a player get a td taken away for high-stepping or something harmless like that. I understand questioning the rule, but I think it’s best to keep it the same.

My question is this: what’s the difference between taunting during/after a TD run and taunting after a QB sack? Taunting is taunting and if one will be enforced, than so should the other.
I would prefer NO penalty, but this is Goodel’s world and he wants to have a pansy league.

tindeaux says:Oct 30, 2013 3:39 PM

what about taunting from the db, lb, de, when they make a play? give the offensive team a first down? c’mon man!!!

orivar says:Oct 30, 2013 3:40 PM

If this happens I’m done with the NFL. The NFL is attempting to create an image to appeal to the ultra conservative (basically soccer moms) and PG investors, everything they’re doing has nothing to do with safety nor improving the game and has everything to do with money.

Can’t touch the QB, moving kickoffs, limiting defenses, Beyonce half time show, flags for so called taunting and other things that will get rid of ‘bad’ images that ‘may corrupt children’, Bruno Mars. LONDON!

It’s getting more obvious.

pem34 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:41 PM

that seems ridiculous for a couple reasons – first taunting is not consistently enforced (See Rodgers-Cromartie taunting after picking off a 2nd string QB in garbage time in a blow out and not being called); second, if they are going to do this, then they should penalize every receiver that does the lame 1st down point (10 yds loss of down) which is always done right in the defenders face b/c they do it immediately after getting up; third get rid of the lambeau leap and the derivative leaps or allow all touchdown celebrations.

I’m not a fan of taunting or excessive celebration. There was a time when players who scored acted like it wasn’t the first time they had ever made it to the end zone. Now they want everybody to be stoic. Next they will penalize home team for clapping or booing. There should be an effective penalty for taunting, such as was suggested earlier of tacking on 15 yards to the ensueing kickoff return , but this is insane. And they expect people to pay to see an emotionless game?

scoops1 says:
Oct 30, 2013 3:06 PM
Please God NO…..this isn’t college….
you’re right it isn’t college, so why allow grown men to act like six year olds, no place for that crap in PRO or any other kind of football

I don’t like taunting because to me it’s not entertaining and these player are role models (despite all the evidence that many of them shouldn’t be).

I also don’t mind having a stiff penalty for taunting because unlike say holding or pass interference, etc it’s not an extension of normal play and there is not an incentive to do it since it doesn’t give you an advantage on the play. We’re told that players have time to think about where they’re hitting a player even when they’re midair, so players should be able to restrain themselves from taunting. If they don’t, then their team pays the price, including taking a touchdown off the board.

minnesoulja says:Oct 30, 2013 3:44 PM

Taunting is bush league and people who are for taunting are human garbage.

Show some class people. Act like you have been there before.

The play speaks for itself. I thought Tate looked good on that play UNTIL he took a braggadocio approach and acted like a NOZZLE.

On second thoughtm maybe Golden Tate should be as obnoxious as he can be while he has the chance. No one will remember him for anything other than the Fail Mary play in five-7 years anyways…

Anyone that wants to see why this change should not be made, look up Jake Locker for the Huskies 2 years ago when UW lost a game in OT due to a ref’s idiotic interpretation of taunting that negated a TD and lost them the game.

they should make penalties more harsh. these players need to act like they have scored before. i hate all the stupid dances. show some class like like great stars of the past.the nfl isn’t dancing with the stars.

Is taunting lame, yes. Should there be a penalty, yes. Should it involve the TD being overturned, absolutely not! As a seahawk fan I find Goldens actions Monday pretty embarrassing. I’m all for endzone celebrations and trash talk but what he did was over the top and he recognized that. But to say the touchdown should come back is ridiculous, Russell made a great throw and Tate made an equally athletic catch. The league needs to stop trying to micro manage this game and just let them play. There are certain things you should just let be and this is deff one of them 15 yards in kickoff is more than enough!

timbambam says:Oct 30, 2013 3:46 PM

I can’t believe they are actually considering this. Last year when they had scrub refs that screwed up calls that cost teams games but that was alright. I don’t get it. I don’t think you take the score away because what do you do to the defence when they taunt. Make the player doing the taunting pay the price. Automatic one game suspension. No appeals on this call. The best way to deal with a situation like this is to make them pay. Money is something that they will think about. Not $10,000.00 because they have tried that a whole game check. THAT WILL STOP TAUNTING.

Nope, sorry I am not. I’m just a nameless visionary crusader with crazy ideas. I’d penalize those that deserve it to create a larger pool of money for those that deserve it. Or use the money to buy random people some health care plans. Who wants some, here take a slice of bread too. It’s ok I know this stuff doesn’t grow on trees but we here at the NFL care some days.

While they’re at it, players must now be required to hold hands while walking on and off the field. Hurt feelings should never be tolerated in any sport. These are creatures with feelings and emotions, not barbarians! . . . But seriously, this is pathetic.

After seeing Troy Brown get a key first down negated against the Manning era Colts for a taunting penalty (handing the ball to the official without ever even looking at the defender), I’m gonna say no thanks.

Too serious a consequence for something that’s liberally defined at the interpretation of the official.

enders9 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:51 PM

This is so stupid, and no way this is actually going to happen. Taunting didn’t affect the outcome of the play in the way say a holding penalty would affect the outcome of a play, so why make it have such huge consequences. These penalties wouldn’t just be 15 yards, they would likely be 30+ yard penalties every time.

Not to mention that taunting happens on every single play. Verbally talking trash back and forth after making a big play is also taunting and that happens literally after every single play.

Taunting happens and it’s mostly just in fun, sure the person being taunted probably doesn’t like it but if that’s the case then he should use it as motivation to not let the other team score again. But taunting has absolutely no affect on the game, so don’t make it have an affect.

I don’t condone taunting or excessive celebrating, especially when you made a tackle and they guy got a first down anyway. What Tate did was annoying and unprofessional.

On that note, if a player decides he wants to help the team burn the clock and run parallel to the goal line to burn some crucial seconds, is the NFL going to leave a judgment call like that to these refs who are making horrendous calls as it is?? Bad calls that affect the outcome of a game have already gotten worse due to the helmet to helmet calls let alone something like this.

richrob81 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:54 PM

Ugh, the No Fun League strikes again. Don’t want to be taunted don’t give up 80 yards TD passes, don’t throw 75 yard pick sixes. Keep the team out of the endzone and they can’t taunt you.

No, NFL just no.

vadertime says:Oct 30, 2013 3:55 PM

I think a player should be shot and quartered in the end zone for taunting. That should fix the taunting problem for once and all.

praetorian12 says:Oct 30, 2013 3:55 PM

So Jenkins and McCelod can taunt, mock, gesture after every d@mn play and not get flagged. Tate taunts during a TD and gets flagged.

It’s always the second guy that gets flagged. But if the refs really cared about the game as opposed to “appearances” Jenkins would have been flagged five times for taunting before the end of the first quarter.

Whether or not you like taunting, is this really something you want to turn over to the referees? There has already been at least one instance in college ball where a guy raised his arms in celebration as he entered the end zone and a ref called it back for taunting. There’s a fine line between celebration and taunting. Do you really want the refs to be making these kinds of judgement calls?

Why should a player or the team for that matter be rewarded for committing a penalty? This ego flaunting has got to be stopped. Your professionals right? So act like it for hell sake! Celebrating a great play is one thing but taunting is just plain ignorant!

This is an emotional game quit trying to make it less of a great thing. The ref’s make enough bad calls it’s time to leave a good thing alone. This is a mans game not for sissy’s leave this alone. We have enough political correctness in life leave our football games alone.

These aren’t 8 year old soccer players who might get their feelings hurt if they lose 10-0.

runmarshawnrun says:Oct 30, 2013 4:04 PM

If you eliminate taunting, shouldn’t you also get rid of:
– sack dances
– touchdown celebrations
– pointing after making a first down
– high fives

You may not like taunting (I don’t), but why are we trying to turn all these players with their personalities into the same lifeless football automotron?

Let ’em have their fun. Every drama needs a hero and a villain. Isn’t it more fun to root against certain teams or certain players? Aren’t the game more interesting when your blood is boiling a little bit?

Besides, we need the next Icky Shuffle, or the next Sack Dance for the next generation.

That was soooo blatant after he got knocked down. It’s one thing to taunt the guy as you’re running to the endzone, but then to get back up after the TD, and get in the guys face and then spike it at his feet? C’mon, that was like 3 cases of taunting on 1 play! How about negating the TD, and then an ejection if he repeats what Tate did.

Canned Heat says:Oct 30, 2013 4:09 PM

I am amazed at how many people here are objecting to this.

What ever happened to classy players like Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith who would score and then take the ball and give it to an official?? I’ll tell you what happened, now there’s idiots writing invisible signatures on balls, or real ones in a few cases. You’ve got these overpaid punks trying to one up one another and it’s spiraling out of control. Add to the fact that kids are starting to do this on the high school fields and getting flagged and the parents back the kid up instead of insisting their kid show a bit of class and telling them that crap is inappropriate. The whole reason the NCAA made this a live ball foul was because all it did was lead up to the games getting out of control and fights breaking out.

I’ve officiated football in high school since 1992 and college since 2002. This crap all trickles down to younger levels. When the whole team gets penalized, the team and the players learn pretty darn quick. Had that been a live ball penalty in the Rams Hawks game….Seattle may have lost. That would’ve made a pretty good impression of why you don’t do that and taught a few million people something about class and composure. Plus, the 15 yard penalty assessed on the kickoff does nothing with the new kickoff rules….touchback either way nowadays almost every kickoff.

Apparently a lot of you guys are looking for a little more gang bang in your football….and at the same time wonder what the country is becoming. Congrats.

Geesh!!! If this rule was enacted and enforced Pete Carroll’s Seahawks might not score in 2014.

Save for Russell Wilson, the Seahawks act like a bunch of punks. In the old days, the DBs would have shut up Golden Tate the next time he came across the middle. These days, the DBs can’t blow a kiss at the receiver without drawing a flag!

Speaking of DBs, the Seahawks like to talk and hold plenty. Richard Sherman is an inspiring story (from the hood to Stanford, etc. and he schooled Skip Bayless, a real jerkwad), but his play and accomplishments are being overshadowed by his classless behavior on the field. (Guess he is trying to distinguish himself for the big future contract, etc.?)

The Rams were getting mugged beyond five yards by these guys and if you watched closely, Earl Thomas was looking to make cheap hits on almost every tackle. If he keeps it up, his days will be numbered as he inflicts the damage on himself.

Bottom line… this crap rolls down from above, which is to say, Sleazeball Pete Carroll permitted taunting players at USC (when he wasn’t lying to the NCAA) and he has brought the same “attitude” to the Seahawks.

Ironically, these Hawks might be West coast version of the Philadelphia Eagles.

i am not in favor of taunting, these well paid professionals should act like they have scored or made a play before (same goes for the defenders who celebrate like crazy after making a routine tackle but still allowing a first down)

however, if this rule is changes, what is to stop opposing DBs from going above and beyond to provoke WRs to draw penalties? leave the rule as is, the refs have enough trouble enforcing the current rules, no need to give them more to think about.

It’s amazing how polarizing of a figure Golden Tate is to the NFL and opposing fans. He single handedly brought back the original refs (not that they’re any better) and now because of a wave as he runs into the endzone they’re considering a rule change? Amazing. What’s shocking is everybody’s overreaction to anything the Seahawks do. It’s like Golden Tate is the first person in the history of the world that has taunted or talked trash throwing people into these crazy frenzies.

I am confused. Tate’s penalty happened on the 20 yard line BEFORE he scored. Should it be enforced from the spot of the foul, hence negating the TD anyways? The penalty occurred and the flag was thrown BEFORE he scored.

The easiest and best way to stop taunting…
Those highly paid professional athletes do their jobs and actually stop the offense scoring or making a big play.
If they can’t do that they deserve the taunting they get.
The again there is one massive problem with that, GODell is making playing defense illegal in the NFL. Soon we will be hearing calls like…
“impeding the offense, #52, 15 yards from the spot of the foul, automatic first down & #52 is ejected from the game

Keep messing with the NFL and you won’t even recognize it soon! With the way contracts are written with bonuses and incentives for being the best or scoring the most, yardage and sacks, Pro Bowl election, etc. a player feels a little emotion when they finally get in the end zone or make a key play. There are only so many starters in the NFL, that makes for an elite job for a few talented athletes and once they have the money all that is left is the competition against each other. Quit trying to change this game!

Wonder if it will affect the NFLs darlings, Green Bay and their lame-o leap?

Of course not.

mb925 says:Oct 30, 2013 4:22 PM

How about allowing the TD, enforcing the 15 yard penalty and taking the player out of the game for the rest of the game or at least the rest of the half.

elgranderojo79 says:Oct 30, 2013 4:23 PM

I’ve always thought a great rule change for the game would be to make it more like hockey and put players in some type of penalty box or something for egregious fouls and then their team gets to play without them for X amount of plays or until the ball changes possession (enforceable on the next series in a taunting TD case).

an example would be a intentional personal foul gets you off the field for three plays and your team plays with ten guys. That would be a huge motivator to stay clean.

I also think they need to have the booth able to overturn the officials when they call helmet to helmet hits. I’m one for making the game safer, but the quality of the product has been substantially hurt by the number of erroneous calls that result in game altering plays because someone was close to hitting someone’s helmet, but didn’t.

I guess they aren’t worried about eliminating the fan base either. What a bunch of nonsense. The No Fun League strikes again! Its already close to unwatchable with so many flags flying for absolutely no reason, but this is really going too far.

hanifmiller says:Oct 30, 2013 4:31 PM

This is not college. If you dont want someone taunting then stop them from making the play.

greenbaypackersowner says:Oct 30, 2013 4:31 PM

bennyb82 says:
“Let them keep the touchdown but don’t let them get a chance at an extra point or 2 point conversion.”

Thanks a lot, Golden Tate! What a damn knucklehead. Anyways, this is a TERRIBLE idea!!! If you want to rid those shenanigans from the game, punish the player, not the team! This proposal crosses the line of altering the outcome of a game. Keep throwing flags for them, instead issue a hefty fine to the player- if the player repeats, issue a suspension. That is far and beyond a much better solution, one that fans would most likely agree upon

The Lambeau Leap is not taunting, so of course it wouldn’t be affected by such a rule change. Taunting is directly mocking a player of the opposing team while the ball carrier scores. If anything, a Lambeau Leap (or its equivalent) could be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and/or excessive celebration. It’s not taunting.

So if a guy you work with get’s a raise and does a salsa dance in front of you while mocking your efforts that’s okay? LOL maybe you should THINK about the rule first before considering it stupid. These rich egomaniacs could use a taste of humble pie

justintuckrule says:Oct 30, 2013 4:37 PM

Wake up people…..This is just another way to fix games!! Once QBs got paid their $100M+ contracts, they couldn’t be bought off anymore. Presto, defenseless WR and now TD negation penalties.

I’m with the guitar guy. They enforce this one time, I become a soccer fan. NOT KIDDING!

Would love to see this rule change. Can’t stand taunting. Just another way that these guys can be taught to act professionally. If they didn’t make asses of themselves with this kind of behavior it wouldn’t even be considered. I hope they do it.

justintuckrule says:Oct 30, 2013 4:42 PM

@canned heat –

Emmitt classy? Why do you think the NFL fines players for taking their helmets off on the field? Dude mugged for the camera after each TD, that’s why. If you’re gonna bore us with your sanctimonious drivel, at least pick correct representatives.

justintuckrule says:Oct 30, 2013 4:43 PM

PAT from the 20 instead of the 2….(non) problem solved.

schat747 says:Oct 30, 2013 4:46 PM

You know how you stop a guy from taunting — don’t let him beat you. Agree with the rule as it is.

Yeah heaven forbid somebody’s feelings might be hurt. Typical. Pretty soon they’ll start awarding Super Bowl trophies to all 32 teams so nobody feels inferior or left out. Pretty pathetic what our society has become. Can we go back to the 80’s?

truckenlauten says:Oct 30, 2013 4:54 PM

Why is it that about half of the responses are always blaming Roger Goodell for any changes in the rules? It has to be approved by league owners before they can be implemented. Good grief people, quit showing your ignorance.

Oct 30, 2013 4:09 PM
I am amazed at how many people here are objecting to this.

What ever happened to classy players like Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith who would score and then take the ball and give it to an official?? I’ll tell you what happened, now there’s idiots writing invisible signatures on balls, or real ones in a few cases. You’ve got these overpaid punks trying to one up one another and it’s spiraling out of control. Add to the fact that kids are starting to do this on the high school fields and getting flagged and the parents back the kid up instead of insisting their kid show a bit of class and telling them that crap is inappropriate. The whole reason the NCAA made this a live ball foul was because all it did was lead up to the games getting out of control and fights breaking out.

—Emmitt Smith never handed the ball to the ref. He kept every ball that he scored a touchdown with.

I think Roger Goodell and Obama should get together and kick some rocks! Two people that just don’t have a fing clue! Pretty soon we will be dealing with multimillion dollar athletes in the IFFL (International Flag Football League). God forbid they get a concussion , they only make millions every year., and now every player in the league has a torn ACL. I miss the hard hitting let the players play NFL! Who let the interm refs back? The officiating has been terrible lately and these refs need to be held more accountable. I watched my fins lose to the refs last week, even the announcers couldn’t believe the calls they were making! Must’ve had their paychecks on the Pats last week…

nickynick04 says:Oct 30, 2013 5:05 PM

I agree.
And or consider player ejection
For those who say they would be finished with the NFL….GOOD BYE

Re: the Lambeau Leap – Not only is it not taunting, but it takes place without the football and outside the field of play, which puts it beyond the refs’ normal jurisdiction. The only way it could be flagged is if the player kept the football while leaping (that would be a delay of game). Even if the NFL were to ban it someday for whatever daft reason, such a ban would almost certainly be enforced at the league level after the fact by fines, rather than being flagged by the refs.

mogogo1 says:Oct 30, 2013 5:14 PM

Only thing worse than taunting is the referees being able to take touchdowns away from teams by misapplying the taunting rules.

Fine them after the fact, suspend them if it’s bad enough, but changing the outcome of games because Ed Hochili had it in for somebody or saw things wrong is a horrible idea.

rdrs68 says:Oct 30, 2013 5:21 PM

Can we make the game more colorless, sterile and NO fun? Give a penalty and let the opposing team take care of any unfinished bidness on subsequent plays. Revenge can be quite entertaining.

essentialsausage says:Oct 30, 2013 5:24 PM

It seems like the NFL is doing whatever they can to try to ruin its product.

Deb says:Oct 30, 2013 5:27 PM

As long as EVERYONE is dead clear in advance about what constitutes taunting. I’m tired of officials making it up as they go. If they’ll be allowed to take points off the board, the rules had better be set in stone.

jjackwagon says:Oct 30, 2013 5:32 PM

15 yards from the spot of the foul if done during the play. take the points off the board.

kokomike says:Oct 30, 2013 5:38 PM

I was surprised so many comments here support taunting. I think taunters should get their butts kicked. So, I propose no penalty for taunting. Just rule that they waive any personal fouls against them for the remainder of the game. We’ll see how tough their chicken skin is.

bigpurple72 says:Oct 30, 2013 5:38 PM

I’m not sure I would agree to this or not (would have to think about it more), but a lesser penalty would be to place the ball at 1-yd line on scoring plays like this (similar to DF pass interference in the endzone). 95% of the time the team would score a TD anyway, but would probably stop the taunting immediately.

The touchdowns shouldn’t be negated. Just fine them like the NFL does for every other little thing.

rje49 says:Oct 30, 2013 5:42 PM

The thing I like least about football is that you never know if what just happened really happened – until you check for penalty flags to see if it “counted”. Unlike baseball, where if the guy hits the ball over the centerfield fence, it counts. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Regardless of the stance on this issue, I always find it entertaining to read some fans respond to potential new rules with threats that they will no longer watch the games.

You know you are all kidding yourself, the NFL, the teams, and let’s face it, everyone who reads this board knows that you might walk away for a week, but you’ll be back. That’s why they are a multi-billion dollar enterprise. If you are a fan that comes to AND comments on this site, you aren’t going anywhere whether players get flagged for taunting or not, let it go.

That said, let teams celebrate after GETTING into the endzone all they want, that doesn’t bother me. Watching Golden Tate, and DRC taunt for half the field, that’s a bit ridiqulous, and I wouldn’t mind them being penalized for it, not one bit.

Another way to ruin the game of football. Its the head coaches job to dicipline their players. If a player taunts the other team, the rule should be that the player guilty of taunting should have to set out a whole quarter. Plus a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty or an automatic turnover on downs.

I love how the NFL is always thinking of MORE rules to get the refs involved in ruining and controlling the game. Then when the crap hits the fan the league always hides behind the “this was the competition committee in the offseason.” Remember Thanksgiving last year? How about get rid of the competition committee, so they cant over think things every offseason. You can’t even enjoy a game now because the odds of a foul being called on the play to reverse what you just saw happen is up near 40 percent per play.

I think that would be a terrible rule change. An alternative could be if the taunting happened during an offensive TD they could penalize the offence 15 yds at the start of their next drive. Or if it was a defender doing the taunting on a run back it could be issued at the start of the opposing offence’s next drive.

Also, find a way to correct the “15 yard penalty will be enforced on the kickoff” joke. Kickers hammer the ball out of the end zone from the 35 no reason to let them do it from the 50. At that point it’s not even a penalty cause it rarely changes anything.

I think the NFL needs to do something because the children playing on their teams need to be taught a lesson.

There should be a penalty when a receiver goes into the endzone waving the ball toward an opposing player or leaves his feet to enter the endzone uncontested to do a back flip, somersault, leap into the end zone as if he is diving when not challenged, or intentionally slows down to walk into the endzone after being chased.

The penalty should be significant – touchdown removed and ball placed at the 15 yard line and the taunting player is ejected from the game.

I think that some of the taunting “fouls” are ticky tacky – let the players mouth off to each other, but this unsportsmanlike conduct going into the end zone is disgusting and has no place in the game. After you score the touchdown then you can do your dance or act like a child. But if you do so on the way to the touchdown, your day should be over.

critter69 says:Oct 30, 2013 11:15 PM

Don’t change the rules. Ergo:

– We eliminate the forward pass. Tthe first legal forward pass in American football took place in 1906, after a change in rules. Another change in rules occurred on January 18, 1951, which established that no center, tackle, or guard could receive a forward pass. Today, the only linemen who can receive a forward pass are the ends.

– No helmets, or at least the players can wear only leather helmets.

– No face guard (or as some people call them, face masks). Until the 1970s, it was unusual for a player to have more than one or two bars on their helmet, even the players who played ‘on the line’ (offense and defense). In fact, it was only in 2004 that the NFL made a rule change to prohibit single bar face guards (and it was a ‘grandfathered’ rule, at that). In the days of the leather helmet, there were NO faceguards. Period.

– Allow the clothesline tackle.

– In the early days of football, each team could field any number of players, and pay them anything they wanted to pay. Some ‘rich’ teams paid their players less than other teams, but their total salary payments were the same, as they paid more players to be on the team than other teams.

Would be a great addition. Taunting like that turns the game “childish”. We are also trying to teach the little PeeWee kids, the Elementary, JH, HS kids to play the game with integrity. Where do you think the kids first learn to do these things? They aren’t emulating College players, it’s the Pros they pretend to be. Don’t try that…well they aren’t examples, they are Pro Football players and the parents should teach them differently….crap. Every kid, since the dawn of Pro sports, has pretended to be their “hero” on the playing field. Like it or not, kids look up to Pro players and to them there is the one guy they call “hero”. We should want our kids looking up to decent behaving men and if that’s too hard to do and too restrictive of one’s rights, then find other things to do with your life! Behave like a man! Maybe, our kids should be emulating and pretending to be, College athletes? Someone said that even less people will watch Football if this policy is adopted. BS, cuz the numbers of viewers is NOT down or going down! Those threatening to stop watching if this policy is adopted….BOLLOCKS to you, cuz you may last a week or 2 but, you won’t be gone long! Pro athletes need to grow up and let’s not see our kids setting the examples for these already overpaid, cry babies! Many of them make hundreds of millions playing a game and they are gonna bitch if they are expected to behave like men? Give me a break!!

The offense already has had all the rule changes known to man in their favor in order have more scoring and keep the game “exciting” Taunting after a play in which the rules benefit you doesnt seem to smart. Score your touchdown like the rule advantages have allowed you to do. You didnt see too much taunting by WR’s when defensive players could do what they wanted back in the day.

Penalty and they should eject player for unsportsmanlike conduct. What Tate did is so a low level act that it was offensive to me as viewer. I wanted him penalized!
I don’t remember who said it about getting into the end zone but “act like you have been there”.

They should give a penalty and disallow the touchdown for any limpwristed “dancing” in the end zone. There is no place for that in the manly game of football.
——————-

The only limpwristed action is those who complain about taunting and dancing.

BringBackTheFlex says:Oct 31, 2013 5:42 PM

Talk about WHY it’s different between college and pros: The NFL never thought it’s tough and serious players would ever resort to the school yard antics of today’s “LOOK AT ME” players. They knew then that someone who taunts would get paid back in some pile-up at some time and would never do that childish stuff again.

Then came the diva players, primarily the WRs, who can’t do anything without flashing neon lights. In this day and age of micro cameras and 3 day later fines, you can’t even pay back the guy who taunts.

Sadly, the NFL needs to treat these guys like immature kids due to the antics of a few.

The butthurt is strong, isn’t it? One has to wonder what was going on just before Golden Tate’s shaking his finger and waving at the secondary he blew past on his way to the end zone. I’m willing to bet there was taunting going on from the Rams. Just maybe, hm? Where’s their penalty?

If the NFL is going to disallow touchdowns for taunting, they’ll also have to include enforcement on touchdown celebrations, sack dances, and every other instance of “trash talking” during a game, including between the coaches. When telecast games last for four hours plus because of all the penalties and some of the darlings of the NFL — Patriots/Cowboys/either NY team/Redskins lose a game due to a taunting violation, the outcry over replacement refs will look like a walk in the park.

For those who insist they wouldn’t want a “punk” like Golden Tate on their team: You’d give your left nut to have any one of Seattle’s receivers on your roster.

I am writing to you about the taunting issue in the game of Football.
I am 54 years old and have been a fan of the game since childhood. I remember
bringing milk cartons to 49 Minor Club meetings to turn in for free Niner tickets.
They were the worst seats in Candlestick, you could only see half the field, but to
a little kid “pure magic”.
Suffice to say I have seen a lot of touchdowns over the years and it is a sad state
of affairs that I have to look back nostalgically on the classic football spike and arms raised in
victory when scoring. How did that classic form of celebration of achievement degenerate into
what we have today with taunting on the way to scoring, salsa dancing and ridiculous arm flapping moves? Football management and the Media are to blame. The Media for promoting this behavior by featuring these ridiculous moves in commercials and Football Management for not curbing this behavior from the start. Professional football players need to express their artistry in pursuit of the game not in the next dance move that’s going to land them a commercial endorsement.
In my mind Football is the greatest sporting game ever invented. It has every element that a game needs to be a success, exceptional teamwork, individual effort and sacrifice, and edge of your seat drama. I was there to witness “The Catch”, can you imagine Montana rushing to the endzone to congratulate Clarke with a rousing salsa dance? If you can, do nothing. If you can’t, the ball is in your hands.

We can’t let this happen! It would be just another way for the refs to decide the outcome of games. They’ll let some taunts fly and they’ll penalize other ones. Just let the players decide the outcome. Because this is SPORTS! I truly believe that pro football players and fans should be man enough to handle a stupid little taunt.

This is one rule change I agree with 100%. It already an unsportsmanlike penalty so no coach in the league wants their players to taunt anyways. This argument that it will turn the NFL into the No Fun League is ludicrous as a result. Taunting does not make the game more fun for the true fan who wants to enjoy the play on the field. By that I mean the execution of the play, or lack thereof. I don’t want to see TO whip out a sharpie to autograph the play or Golden Tate wave buh bye to a defender as he scores. It should carry the same penalty as a holding penalty in that it negates the play. That way these knuckleheads won’t do it because some won’t care about a 15 yard penalty assessed on the kickoff. Almost all kickoffs are touchbacks anyway so the penalty as enforced is meaningless. Another option would be to give the opposing team the option of starting their next possession on their 35 yard line. That would be a 15 yard advantage over a touchback and unless you have a Devin Hester a head coach would take that field position virtually 100% of the time.

Everyone agrees tate was wrong at some level. Who knows what janoris did to deserve it though. Not that it would make tate right, but theres always action reaction in sports.

I feel its disrespectful but it makes exciting to see emotion play out on the field. Td celebrations, showboating… everyone loves it to some degree. To take away a td for waving 25 yards out is total nazi.

BringBackTheFlex says:Nov 2, 2013 2:44 PM

joshtanney says: Nov 2, 2013 12:43 AM

I may be alone on this, but I love touchdown dances, its fun to watch the creativity of a player.
——————–
A statement like this makes it sound like you are 14 years old. Go watch DWTS or Glee if like dancing so much. Football is entertainment, unless you are a Dallas fan, but poor sportsmanship should never be applauded as entertainment.

BringBackTheFlex says:Nov 2, 2013 3:18 PM

strongmackn says: Nov 2, 2013 3:24 AM

I feel its disrespectful but it makes exciting to see emotion play out on the field. Td celebrations, showboating… everyone loves it to some degree. To take away a td for waving 25 yards out is total nazi.

—————————–
Genuine emotion, celebrating the team accomplishments of a TD, sheering a team mate for a great play. These are all welcome emotions. But don’t confuse football with WWF. Taunting has no place in a sports competition.

The Tampa player this week who came out against the coach telling him he shouldn’t be helping the opponent up after a play had it right. That’s sportsmanship. If that doesn’t entertain you then go watch WWF or DWTS.

Well, all I can really say is Barry Sanders, a top 3 RB of all time (if not best) never needed to taunt, or even celebrate.
Nor did Curtis Martin. The Mannings, Brees, etc etc

Kind of like the smart person who is not arrogant and belittling because they are comfortable with themselves. Nothing against Tate but I dont know…seems to me the truly best have no need for such stuff anyway.

JJLehto says:Nov 4, 2013 9:10 AM

This does seem a bit ridiculous though, it’s a fine line between respect and emotion.
Players like Suh have great emotion and passion but obviously took it too far, and has made himself a target now and may hurt others needlessly.

Same here, show respect but also don’t wanna rob players of their passion.
Still cmon Tate, couldn’t just wait till the end zone?? Had to start 20 some yards out? Regardless as a modest guy who likes production to be my boasting, is sad what a diva sport NFL has become

Well, all I can really say is Barry Sanders, a top 3 RB of all time (if not best) never needed to taunt, or even celebrate.
Nor did Curtis Martin. The Mannings, Brees, etc etc

Kind of like the smart person who is not arrogant and belittling because they are comfortable with themselves. Nothing against Tate but I dont know…seems to me the truly best have no need for such stuff anyway.
—————

That means absolutely nothing. So what they were that way? Everyone else needs to be? Humans are not robots and variety is what makes life worthwhile. I still believe those who hate “taunting” are the same ones who take their ball and leave the courts when they don’t get their way or get picked for a pick up game.

I believe this is a coaching issue, properly coaching the players that this behavior is unacceptable is the key.

The teams should severely fine their own players for penalty calls.

Once the league gets involved all sorts of other calls on the field will fall under this rule.

seahawksgrl725 says:Nov 5, 2013 7:26 PM

Obviously, I’m a Seattle fan. I didn’t like Golden’s childish move that night, and was mad that he did that, but the next day, he apologized and said he embarrassed not only himself, but his team. I don’t think we have to worry about this again with GT. I don’t think we need to do anything more on the field during the game than a 15 yard “unsportsmanlike conduct” for that, but who defines what taunting is? What about the taunting when a defensive player sacks a qb or throws him to the ground and then starts pounding the fists to the chest blatantly? How about the guy who scores a td and does his little dance in the end zone or goes up to the defense and starts yammering on? To me, that’s taunting too, so where do we draw the line here? I think the league is way overboard with rules these days, and NO ONE is letting ANYONE play football. I think the league needs to stay out of this one, and if fines come, then they need to come from the team. After getting your butt chewed out, and then have a $5000 fine to pay, maybe that would stop some players from taunting.

They say they are protecting players, but I sure don’t know about that…….I’ve watched Russell Wilson get thrown to the ground, even after releasing the ball, on more occasions the past three weeks than I care to think about. WHERE are the flags for that, refs? Yet, our awesome defensive player, Earl Thomas, gets a 15yd penalty for barely touching the WR this past Sunday against TB. Ridiculous officiating and too much BS coming down from the “league”……play football, protect players from the helmet to helmet hits, and don’t allow (in the words of the refs) “a defenseless QB” who has GOTTEN RID OF THE BALL BY THEN, to get thrown to the turf and no flags. I want consistency, but I see absolutely NONE when it comes to rules, and officiating the games.

Maybe Roger Goodell and the league need to spend the off-season defining the rules to the refs, or finding some GOOD refs out there who will call a consistent game. I know my team will get penalized, and I have no problem with that. What I DO have a problem with, is a game that’s not called fairly, and I’ve seen it too many times this year, not just when my team plays.

How can I put my two cents in on this topic? There is obviously a divide on whether a penalty or fine should be implemented on any player who taunts the other player or team. Some people on this vine believe that a fine should be set in place while others say “let them play”. Am I wrong to agree with both sides of this dilemma? I mean, the Tate taunt was a little extreme and probably shouldn’t have taken place given the fact that he beat the defender by a few strides. Be a professional. You already got the best of that defender on that one play so take the TD like a mature human being and move on. On the other hand, stop Tate or ante up your defense better that way taunting won’t ensue. These players receive a lot of money to play a game that the majority of its fans would love to be a part of so I do see both sides of the debate. To me, if you are going to penalize a team or player for a particular taunt, instead of taking the TD away, have that team kickoff the ball on their own 5 or 10 yard line giving the opposing team a chance to capitalize on your mistake for the taunt. If it keeps happening then hurt where it counts.. the players wallet. Thanks